


Family

by phantomlistener



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-21
Updated: 2012-08-21
Packaged: 2017-11-12 15:22:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/492687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantomlistener/pseuds/phantomlistener
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes friends leave, and sometimes they stay right by your side.  Picard and Guinan's friendship in action; set during "Nemesis".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for infiniteviking at fandom_stocking over on LJ, way back in 2010.

The aftermath of the wedding is a quiet, subdued affair, and Jean-Luc Picard can well understand the sober atmosphere.  Deanna and Will are sitting alone, her head on his shoulder, watching all the people they considered crewmates and friends for so long as they wander about in small groups, or sit around with glasses of synthehol.

As he watches them, Deanna catches his eye and smiles.  It's a glorious smile, bright and happy, and he feels momentarily guilty for regretting their forthcoming absence on the Enterprise.

A bright new future is the least they deserve.

The sound of a glass being set down on the table beside him breaks his reverie.

"You look sad, Jean-Luc."  Guinan pulls up a chair and sits down.  "Why?"

The inevitable question.  And he isn't sad, not really, more of a happy melancholy.  The kind of sadness that only comes when something wonderful has happened.  "Things that have gone before.  Friendships that will probably endure a lifetime or two."

"Ah, the past.  It's a dangerous thing, you know.  You run the risk of being sucked in so far that you lose sight of where you're going."

He smiles at her.  "I always know where I'm going, Guinan."

A quizzical look, embedded in one raised eyebrow, encourages him.

" _I am for the air_ ," he quotes wryly.  "And the stars, but Shakespeare didn't write that line."

The drink before him is a dark purple, catching the setting sun and trapping it within the confines of its colour.  He doesn't want to drink it - doesn't want to drink anything more, in fact, just wants to sit and enjoy the company.

"Do you really believe that every problem can be solved by one of your drinks?"

"No, I think all problems can be solved by the company you're in when you have that drink."

He catches Guinan's eye as she studies him.  "It's a wonderful thing," he says, "watching them grow up and fly away."

"Family."  She says it with such assurance that his breath catches in his throat for a moment and his eyes scan the room, falling on people he knows and trusts, until they come back to rest on the face of his dear friend and confidante.

"Family," he repeats.  "Yes, I believe I can drink to that."


End file.
